Toledoan arrested after allegedly leading police on chase

BOWLING GREEN -- A Toledo man was arrested today and accused of driving under the influence of alcohol and leading area law enforcement agents on a pursuit that started in Perrysburg Township and ended near Bowling Green, the Ohio Highway Patrol said.

There were no injuries, according to the patrol's Bowling Green post. The pursuit covered 23 miles and lasted 28 minutes, at times at speeds in excess of 100 mph, according to the patrol.

Once arrested, Michael George, 29, was taken to the post, where his blood-alcohol content allegedly tested 0.113. The legal driving limit in Ohio is 0.08. He was charged and booked into the Wood County jail pending his arraignment at Bowling Green Municipal Court. His charges included felony fleeing and eluding, driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license, providing false information, obstructing official business, speeding, and not wearing a seat belt.

About 4 a.m., a Perrysburg Township police officer saw a vehicle exiting from southbound I-75 onto northbound I-475, then stop in the middle of the expressway, back up, turn around into the southbound lanes, and then drive south on I-75, police said.

The officer tried to stop the vehicle, but it wouldn't stop, initiating the pursuit, which ended about five minutes later when police lost sight of the vehicle at the State Rt. 582 exit. Police then contacted the highway patrol, requesting assistance, the patrol said.

A short time later, a trooper saw the vehicle driving at 99 mph on southbound I-75 north of the Bowling Green exit and attempted to stop it by turning on overhead lights and the siren. Again, the vehicle did not stop and a pursuit ensued southbound on the expressway at speeds exceeding 100 mph, according to the patrol.

The vehicle finally exited onto eastbound U.S. 6 and continued at high-rated speed until a Wood County sheriff’s deputy slowed it to between 45 and 50 mph by deploying stop sticks on U.S. 6 at State Rt. 199 and deflating the vehicle's left front tire, the patrol said.

The vehicle then turned south on Pemberville Road to Cygnet Road, and drove west to Emerson Road, where it turned north and drove for a time, stopping south of Jerry City Road. The driver then allegedly ran west into a field, where he was apprehended a short time later and taken into custody without further incident about 4:30 a.m., according to the patrol.

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